Avoid AGODA

[outsidetrader]

Skyscanner is the best without a doubt 

[The Fugitive]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

Where can you fly for 1000 baht?

 

I don't think I have ever paid credit card fees booking a flight. 

Recently booked for 5 people return flights from Khon Kaen to Suvarnabhumi. Total payable 7,700 baht. Paid via my UK Chase debit card and received 1% cash back. I thought that was an excellent deal. 

[Yellowtail]

25 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'm charged using foreign credit card.

What airline? I have Thai and US cards and never had an issue. 

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, outsidetrader said:

Skyscanner is the best without a doubt 

I like Skyscanner, particularly for rental cars. 

[EVENKEEL]

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

What airline? I have Thai and US cards and never had an issue. 

I'd say it's mainly domestic flights like Nok Air and Thai Asia.

[GammaGlobulin]

I don't fly commercial.

 

So, OK.

I will not use AGODA, and never have.

 

 

 

 

[ChipButty]

My wife booked a couple flights Phuket to BKK for next week on Trip.com, seems like she got a really good deal and on the way back,

 

I was checking Manchester to Phuket, Flights and Hotel for 2 weeks, the whole package was cheaper than flights only, That was on Trip.com 

Edited Wednesday at 02:44 AM by ChipButty

[Yellowtail]

51 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'd say it's mainly domestic flights like Nok Air and Thai Asia.

20% as the previous poster claimed or the 3% that covers their cost? 

 

What options do they have to pay besides credit card? 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

It is always a hit and miss operation using the booking sites for airlines and hotels.  They all have good deals and bad deals at different times, and they all 'cheat' to get the business - but I must say I found Agoda the biggest 'cheaters'.   They keep your IP and when you go back again they often put their pricing up. I once had the same hotel on the same day open, using the big three booking sites each in their own tab, using 3 separate devices all using different IP addresses - they all had different pricing. There is no answer as to when to book - they all use their algorithms to change their pricing all the time, because we all try to get their best deal.  There is no best time or best day anymore - you get lucky or you dont.  I use one mob for hotels and they give me deals and discounts for being loyal. I use skyscanner and momodo to compare airline rates and then book direct. 

[Yellowtail]

It also depends on how much time you want to spend to save a few bucks. I always check prices, and unless I am missing something, booking on the hotel websites is most always as cheap or within a few points of the booking sites. 

 

That said, rental car sites are very often not competitive. 

[Dirk Z]

I use Agoda a lot (for hotels) and am very happy how they handle changes, refunds etc even during Covid time. 

[Sandboxer]

I always get at least 100-200 bt cheaper rates (sometimes more) booking rooms for4-5 star Thailand hotels by using a VPN. Booking "from" Myanmar, Cambodia or other 3rd world countries in the region seems to trigger the algo's "poor sod discount" 555.....

Edited Wednesday at 04:30 AM by Sandboxer

[Kinok Farang]

I agree,Agoda is shiit but the best of a bad bunch and the cashback thing is a joke.But,does anyone here know a descent alternative?

[spidermike007]

You should have stated avoid Agoda for flights, which very few people use for flights anyway. Booking direct with the airlines is the way to go, for that. However, for hotels Agoda is very good. I use them alot. Have had very few problems with them on hotels.

[xhruso00]

If you buy from 3rd party provider and you are bound to T&C of that provider. Meaning if refund has to go through customer care you need to pay fee for that customer care. Some people don't read T&C and later they found out they did expensive mistake. PURELY YOUR FAULT. NOT AGODA FAULT.

[xhruso00]

18 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

You should have stated avoid Agoda for flights, which very few people use for flights anyway. Booking direct with the airlines is the way to go, for that. However, for hotels Agoda is very good. I use them alot. Have had very few problems with them on hotels.

I did few booking with them. All low cost airlines (MyAirline, Batik, AA). No problem. Actually they give discount and on top they can avoid card processing fee which AA charges in Thailand (illegal in Malaysia). But I would never book using them a premium airline such as thai, eva...

[georgegeorgia]

3 hours ago, Celsius said:

No booking site will refund you if the flight is delayed.

 

Rich retirees whining about 6 baht cash back?

 

If you booked a breakfast and got offered no breakfast it is hotel who is trying to scam you,

 

 

Anything else?

You do know that once you retired the income is limited 

 

Not everyone would be eligible for Social Security in their country

 

As for booking directly with airline I find you do pay MORE booking through the airline than the third party sites 

 

More ! More ! You want MOooore !!!

Edited Wednesday at 05:15 AM by georgegeorgia

[georgegeorgia]

41 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

I always get at least 100-200 bt cheaper rates (sometimes more) booking rooms for4-5 star Thailand hotels by using a VPN. Booking "from" Myanmar, Cambodia or other 3rd world countries in the region seems to trigger the algo's "poor sod discount" 555.....

How do you do this ?

Sorry I don't know technology 

[Sandboxer]

2 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

How do you do this ?

Sorry I don't know technology 

 

Download any free or paid VPN (Virtual Private Network) app on Google Playstore, and then choose any server location worldwide.

 

I use NORD vpn, but there are a gazillion.

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:15 AM by Sandboxer

[Celsius]

4 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

You do know that once you retired the income is limited 

 

 

Yeah, but 6 baht cashback?

[NoshowJones]

23 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I did not know that they booked flights.

I only use them for hotels.

For flights, I try to book with the airline.

No one else will help you if anything goes wrong.

If you want to book a hotel, don't forget to add the 17% taxes on the price Agoda first quotes you. They do have the small print, but that is because they know most people don't notice it.

 

[Seppius]

29 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

If you want to book a hotel, don't forget to add the 17% taxes on the price Agoda first quotes you. They do have the small print, but that is because they know most people don't notice it.

 

I like Agoda, but that does annoy me, all other hotel websites show the total price

 

This website searchers them all

 

https://www.hotelscombined.co.th/?ispredir=true

[AboutThaim]

Be careful using eDreams also.  I booked a flight for my wife from Ubon to Bangkok return.  I neglected to read all of the welcome email that I received in her name.  One month later my bank account was reduced by €90 for her membership for one year. We're never likely to use them enough to recoup that charge although from memory I think the flights had a €23 discount.

In hindsight I think booking direct with the airline like I used to do would have been the better idea.

[soi3eddie]

6 hours ago, hollywood998 said:

I booked a flight with Thai airlines paying with American Express pre Covid which Thai airlines cancelled March 27th, I am still waiting for my refund after 8 requests with refund reference. 
 It is more than 4 years with their answer refund coming soon.

 

When Thai Airways cancelled a flight I booked for November 2020, I called them and they told me "refund may take 6 months". I said "fine no problem", hung up the phone and called American Express (AMEX). AMEX told me to login and upload the cancellation email as a dispute. Did that and AMEX had re-credited my card account within 3 hours. Why didn't you do same?

 

[NORDO]

I have had several serious issues with Agoda over the years and avoid them . 
try to use the airline or hotel directly now on, though booking small hotels is difficult when there is a language barrier.

[thecyclist]

On 6/25/2024 at 2:02 PM, GypsyT said:

I agree - Agoda no good.

 

I lost $ 6.00 "cash back" because I didn't want to keep my CC on their file " for future reservations".

Same with their App, they push it hard. I don't use it.

 

Now, $ 6 is nothing but I got p... off the way they lie. They send me a letter; " Our CASH BACK is a gift". No obligation to pay.... After reading fine print it is there too!

What a joke company - part of Booking,com.

They sell same hotels under two different names in Vietnam. They make it to look like there's competition. That happened 2 times to me.

 

I also had bad experience with Traveloka,com. A few days after booking and paying by the CC I got 5 same day charges totaling $ 791.00. All in the US, Texas and Kentucky, while I was in Vietnam.

My bank's investigator at Chase told me "There's a ring in Asia who sell CC info to US crooks who use the card. Chase deleted all charges.

 

I try always use cash but sometimes can't, like future hotels. I am very selective where I use my cards but sh..t happens.

 

Sample how they operate;

 

13. Re: Agoda cashback rewards

Mar 26, 2024, 6:58 PM

 

It's basically a scam. When you go and try and redeem your cashback rewards, it will give you an error saying "oops there is a problem, come back in 24 hours". Which never goes away. Finally you go and check the terms and conditions, and discover it's actually a scam:

 

5. Please note that the cashback reward, being a gift from Agoda to you as a valued User, is at and shall remain at all times in Agoda’s sole and absolute discretion. You understand and accept that Agoda will not at any time incur any obligation to you in respect of the cashback reward, and you will not have any claim against Agoda in respect of the cashback reward."

 

I thought so too initially, but now I think they just make it so complicated that most people give up, especially when it is just a buck or two , which it usually is here in Thailand and neighboring countries. Being a cheap Charley, I persevered, and sofar got 4 cashbacks transferred to my account, with 3 more pending. 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

I wanted to book 3 weeks in Koh Chang from Australia recently. Agoda was always consistently cheaper - much cheaper for the same product. The odd thing now is there is little consistency - you get different prices depending on when you book i.e. prices continually are updated for the same dates, whether you start from Google or say Tripadvisor or other site then click the Agoda link, etc . But Agoda are often 20 per cent cheaper so they are fine by me. Never had a problem with the booking. Have contacted them a couple of times and no worse than other sites who have limited call centres. 

One minor thing - if you take the pay later option it is an extra 5 per cent they add without making it clear. 

Edited Wednesday at 08:04 AM by Fat is a type of crazy

[thecyclist]

5 hours ago, outsidetrader said:

Skyscanner is the best without a doubt 

Skyscanner directs you to a plethora of other providers. 

[thecyclist]

1 minute ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I wanted to book 3 weeks in Koh Chang from Australia recently. Agoda was always consistently cheaper - much cheaper for the same product. The odd thing now is there is little consistency - you get different prices depending on when you book i.e. prices continually are updated for the same dates, whether you start from Google or say Tripadvisor or other site, or the Agoda link itself, or Agoda itself, etc etc. But Agoda are often 20 per cent cheaper so they are fine by me. Never had a problem with the booking. Have contacted them a couple of times and no worse than other sites who have limited call centres. 

One minor thing - if you take the pay later option it is an extra 5 per cent they add without making it clear. 

Prices can differ even from device to device 

Laptop and smartphone searches sometimes result in different rates. 

[Yellowtail]

3 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

Skyscanner directs you to a plethora of other providers. 

Exactly, with estimated prices from the plethora of other providers on one page.